“Hraparak” claims that the Republican Party of Armenia (HHK) has started collecting passport data of public and private sector employees in an effort to pressurize them into voting for the HHK in the April 2 parliamentary elections. “By and large, this is a meaningless effort,” comments the paper. “It does not give any guarantees [of pro-government votes.] Election fraud experts need to realize that they must ditch these obsolete and worn-out methods.”

“Aravot” says the new Armenian electoral alliances are set up by “those who have a grudge against the authorities and who have not received their anticipated share” of the government pie, including a top spot on the HHK’s list of election candidates. The paper says that only the opposition Yelk (Way Out) bloc, which was set up in December, can be regarded as a natural structure because it unites three parties with similar ideologies. “Unlike Yelk, the two other alliances are now in a state of chaotic movement, which results in weird hybrid structures,” it says.

“In essence, what is happening now in the pre-election process is a culmination of Armenia’s two-decade-long political traditions and values,” writes “Zhamanak.” “It is not accidental -- and perhaps very symbolic -- that this culmination is simply turmoil, chaos, a manifestation of illogical and sporadic moves.” The paper argues that the new Armenian alliances bring together politicians with extremely different backgrounds, views and ideologies. “One is only left to understand what we are dealing with: a natural chaos which should have inevitably been caused by the apolitical course of the Armenian political system?” it says. “Or are we dealing with a controlled chaos whose real aim is the regime’s survival?”

“The distribution of roles in the government system seems to be over,” writes “Chorrord Ishkhanutyun.” “According to that distribution, Prime Minister Karen Karapetian should not quite meddle in political processes and should deal instead with financial and economic issues. Namely, to show international structures that he is seriously tackling corruption, to try sort out the state bureaucracy, to bring investments from wealthy Armenians in Russia, and so on. In the meantime, Serzh Sarkisian will have to ensure the HHK’s victory in the upcoming elections with his well-known methods.”